1. Field of the Invention
A system and method for stopping an envelope inserter at a desired or strategic and reproducible location or rotational position. More specifically, disclosed is an inserter stopping system that adapts via an iterative or feedback analysis and thereby issues a stop command that produces a halt of the envelope inserter at the desired or strategic stop rotational position. The iteration analysis utilizes a first stop command issued at a known rotational position to produce an actual stop rotational position and determines the difference between the actual stop rotational position and the desired or strategic stop rotational position. The first stop command rotational position is then altered by the difference between actual stop rotational position and the desired or strategic stop rotational position to produce a second stop command rotational position that when utilized generates an actual stop rotation position that corresponds closely to the desired or strategic stop rotational position for the inserter.
2. Description of the Background Art
Inserter devices are used to place items within a mailing envelope to produce a mailing piece. The items within a mailing envelope may be inserts of various kinds, a billing statement, a return envelope, and the like. An example of a typical inserter is one termed a "PHILLIPSBURG." In a typical inserter a central shaft drives and coordinates the operations of the machine. As the shaft turns, many operations are performed, including; mailing envelopes are readied for insertion, inserts are picked and collected for insertion, insertion of the inserts into the mailing envelope, transport of the filled mailing envelope to subsequent processing steps, and the like.
Typically, a cycle for the inserter machine consists of processing one mailing piece and requires the shaft to turn through a 360.degree. rotation. For each mailing piece the inserter may be initially stopped or in motion from a previous mailing piece and once finished processing a particular mailing piece the inserter may stay in motion to handle further mailing pieces or stop. To stop the inserter a stop command is given and the shaft slows, usually with a braking means, to a stop. With the traditional inserter technology, depending on the rotational velocity of the shaft, the final stop rotational position varies. Problems in processing a mailing piece often arise when the stop position of the shaft is not reproducibly at a desired or strategic rotational position. If after one cycle the inserter stops at a rotational position that is 20.degree. off from a true rotational position start point the subsequent cycle may not be processed properly and/or the inserter may jam causing annoying and costly delays. The subject device overcomes these problems by permitting the controlling computer to stop the inserter with the timing shaft or other suitable rotating member at a desired or strategic rotational position.
The foregoing information reflects the state of the art of which the applicant is aware and is tendered with the view toward discharging applicant's acknowledged duty of candor in disclosing information which may be pertinent in the examination of this application. It is respectfully submitted, however, that this information does not teach or render obvious, singly or when considered in combination, applicant's claimed invention.